Daywatch: Green and Pink Line Closures Last Longer Than Planned

Chicago's Green and Pink 'L' train lines will stay closed longer than riders expected. The Chicago Department of Transportation said that repair work on the Lake Street Bridge needs two more days. That means the lines, which shut down on October 13, will not reopen until 4 a.m. on Wednesday.

Workers need the extra time because connecting old and new parts of the bridge turned out to be harder than planned. The Chicago Transit Authority said the delay happened because the new bridge pieces did not line up as easily as engineers hoped. Problems like this are called 'alignment issues,' meaning things did not fit together in exactly the right way.

Mayor Brandon Johnson is dealing with his fourth budget fight at City Hall. He recently shared his budget plan, and critics in the City Council and the business community quickly pushed back. Alderman Scott Waguespack told reporters, 'We don't expect to take over the budget and try to rescue it like last year. It's his job to provide a balanced budget that's transparent.'

Chicago is enjoying one last warm stretch before cooler fall weather arrives. Forecasters say temperatures could reach as high as 79 degrees on Thursday before dropping. After that, the weather will turn colder and stormier heading into Halloween weekend.

Illinois farmers are frustrated about recent orders on diesel fuel from both the governor and the federal government. The orders let farmers use red-dyed diesel — a tax-free fuel normally only for farm equipment — on public roads through December 31. Even so, many farmers say the help comes too late because they have already spent money on fuel during the busy harvest season.

Mold is becoming a bigger problem in Chicago-area schools, and climate change may be playing a role. Scientists say warmer temperatures cause the air to hold more moisture, which leads to heavier rainstorms and flooding. When school buildings get wet from storm damage, mold can grow inside and cause health problems for students and staff.

Several other big stories are making news in Chicago this week. A famous photo of former Bears coach Mike Ditka has been a mystery for decades, because no one knows who took the picture. The debate over where the Chicago Bears will build a new stadium has become a political issue, and the city is also looking back at magician Harry Houdini, who died 100 years ago on Halloween after amazing the world with his daring escape acts.